


Just A Nightmare

by Woodwife



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Horror, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2019-09-24 04:57:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17094338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woodwife/pseuds/Woodwife
Summary: Seungcheol sees things nobody else does. Horrible monsters and strange creatures. All his life he had been told it was just nightmares he dreamed up during the day, but what if those nightmares were real.





	1. One

The first time _it_ happened Seungcheol was only a small child. He had been sitting on the floor of the living room, rubbing his tiny hands over the soft grey carpet, licking up the last of the sticky popsicle residue from his lips that stained his mouth, as well as spots on his tee shirt, red. His eyes were focused on the colorful cartoon playing on the television screen, completely blocking out his mother's voice as she spoke to someone, probably his father, on the phone from her spot at the kitchen table.

Summer was in full swing and it was one of those days that was just too hot to play outside. The air was too thick and humid and without the air con blasting, Seungcheol would have been coated in a layer of sweat, enough so to soak through his clothes. So, instead, he sat in a stupor of colors as the characters on the screen sang and danced, popsicle in hand as he tried to mimic the cheery tune.

It was as his eyelids started to feel heavy a little while later, head bobbing onto his shoulder and body slumped against the front of the couch, that the show he had been stubbornly keeping his focus on turned into a screen of black and white static. A loud buzzing filled the room and he quickly jerked awake, covering his ears and pressing his hands tight against the sides of his head.

His eyes grew wide as the little gasp he took in frosted in a puff of exhaled smoke, hanging in the air in front of his quivering lips, goosebumps rising on his skin as the air around him grew impossibly colder. It was the middle of summer and there was no way the air con broke, right? It surely hadn't been this cold earlier.

Right.

Seungcheol was pulled out of his panicked thoughts, an internal debate on keeping his little fists firmly over his ears or moving them to rub at his chilled arms, as another strange noise broke through the static buzzing. It sounded like something breaking, starting as a grinding crunch before turning into a sharp crack, like the branches he snapped underfoot on his and his father's weekend walks through the park. It was strange and unnatural and finally he thought to look for his mother, but as he went to get up, standing on shaking legs, he froze from something far worse than the cold.

First was the smell, something so putrid and stinking it put the rotten bird egg he accidentally broke in the back yard a few weeks ago to shame. It was a thick, almost metallic scent, and sat at the back of Seungcheol's throat, making him gag as the urge to cover his mouth to try and hold back the bile won out over his other senses.

The crunching sound was now far louder, far closer than it had been before and the buzzing that had dulled to background noise suddenly stopped entirely. Seungcheol tried to look around, but he was completely immobile. Even his panicked breathing had stilled in his chest, holding in the building scream at what was looming in front of him because then came what he saw.

Standing on all fours, the thing filled the entire doorway to the hall. Its skin was a deep sickly grey with splotches of green and purple where its joints were and looked to be bent at odd angles, the colors forming large bruise-like patterns where Seungcheol supposed its elbows and shoulders should be. It had no eyes that he could see, but the creatures mouth looked as if the skin was slashed through, deep and jagged, with black teeth that were sticking out of the cut in every direction. It moved slowly, the cracking happening every time it shifted its weight or took a step, strange bones snapping and reshaping as it walked.

The creature crept closer, the air around it cold and vile. Its mouth opened wide, almost like some sort of twisted smile as black drool fell down a deformed chin and plopped on the carpet with an audible squelch. As it passed the narrow frame of the door, full body now in the same room as Seungcheol, the monster stopped, head slowly tilting from side to side. In another other instance Seungcheol would have likened it to his friend's puppy. She did the same thing when she was confused and trying to figure out where that treat Jeonghan just had in his hand disappeared to. The problem was, this wasn't a puppy and Seungcheol didn't have the protection of having Jeonghan or his mom or anyone around to separate him from a beast straight out of his nightmares.

Everything about this moment felt too tense, too much like a rubber band pulled taunt and is just at that point of breaking and snapping back harshly against your fingers. And then, just like that, the cry that had been frozen in Seungcheol's throat came free, spilling over blue tinted lips into an air of danger and pitiful desperation. It was like a bubble was suddenly popped and all the pent up energy pressing down on Seungcheol's tiny body had released in a mad rush of mist and air, leaving him light and exposed and so, so scared as the creature's head whipped in his direction, narrowing in on him.

Somehow, that twisted smile seemed to widen, more goo falling from the monster's mouth as it shifted slightly, caging Seungcheol into one corner of the room. With nowhere to run the only thing he could do was squeeze his eyes shut as a clawed hand reached towards him. A shrill sounding scream tore from his chest and just as those horrific claws snagged at the front of his shirt he was being shaken awake, eyes opening to his mother's panicked face over him.

“Cheollie, baby, you're okay. You're okay.” She kept repeating it like a mantra, even as she struggled to get him into a lukewarm bath to bring his burning fever down. Even as she tossed out his torn shirt, confused as to how it had gotten shredded in the first place. Even as his father finally made it home and she recounted finding their son screaming in the living room, not responding to her pleas to wake up until he finally collapsed in her lap.

After that day there was a flurry of doctors visits and talks with strangers Seungcheol didn't know or remember the names of. What he did remember were the words nightmare and terrors used a lot, but he didn't understand. Nobody believed him about the creature. They told him it wasn't real, but he knew it was.

As he got older, the episodes, as he had started calling them, continued. They weren't always as bad as his first, not always filled with creatures from nightmares out to get him, but there was always the buzzing and when he came back he always had a fever. Jeonghan, and eventually their new friend Joshua, were the only ones that believed Seungcheol about these things he saw being real, not some form of night terror or illness induced hallucination like most of his doctors claimed. The two had gotten used to listening to Seungcheol describe his experiences in detail after each and every time, Joshua carefully documenting his descriptions in a little notebook and Jeonghan always running him a bath to help with the fever.

He had no idea when his episodes would start or where he would end up during them. Sometimes he just stood in place, staring at one spot for however long with blank eyes, as if his sense of self had taken a vacation from his body. Jeonghan timed the longest at an hour and a half.

Then there were the times he would wander, chasing after something nobody else could see, talking to things they couldn't hear. His longest run was almost a mile before he collapsed and it took both of his friends to drag him back home and care for his overexerted body.

With his history it wasn't a surprise that his friends had become a little overprotective as time went on. It was something Seungcheol was grateful for, that they cared so much for him that they would inconvenience themselves to help, but at the same time they were like overbearing parents with their wanting to know exactly where he was and what he was doing. And he was the oldest!

Seungcheol had been standing still, leaning against the broom in his hands, staring at nothing in particular when he phone rang loud and shrill in the silence of the closed campus library. He had gotten a job there at night, reshelving the returned books and cleaning the study rooms and stacks to help pay for the apartment he shared with his two friends. He jumped, noticing that the soft glow from his phone was the only light in the room other than the moonlight streaming in through the tall windows, having stood still long enough that the motion sensors had not noticed him.

As he grabbed his phone, quickly accepting the call and putting it to his ear he hissed at the bright overhead lights finally clicking on.

“Well hello to you too, sunshine.” Jeonghan's happy voice came through the line.

“Ah, sorry. Hi, Hannie. What's up?”

“Josh wanted me to call and let you know he's on his way to get you when you're done and then you're both going to pick up takeout for dinner.”

Seungcheol tried not to laugh at Hannie's tone, it was one he used often when he wanted something and didn't want the others to think there was any room for a fight.

“Yes, mom.”

There was a moment of silence where the only thing Seungcheol could hear through the phone was Jeonghan's soft, calm breathing, but the silence was short lived as the dreaded question came it.

“So… How was the shift?” Seungcheol had to give his friends credit where it was due, he knew he was being asked if he had had an episode while he was alone at work where they couldn't keep an eye on him the whole time, but at least they tried to make it seem like a normal question.

“It was fine, Han. Nothing happened, but I gotta go now or Josh is going to be waiting for me a while. I gotta put the supplies away and make sure the buildings locked up.”

“Okay, okay. See you when you get back.” Seungcheol could hear the silent 'be careful’ that went with that, smiling softly, before he heard the click of the line being cut off.

He sighed, stuffing his phone into his back pocket before moving to grab the cleaning cart he had left unattended for who knows how long. It's wheels squeaked as he drug it behind him to the small maintenance elevator, located behind the clerks desk on this particular floor. It was old and small, with just enough room for him and the cart, though it was a bit tight, and smelled of something old and moldy.

The library building had five massive floors; the ground floor was home to the main desk as well as the print shop and tutoring center. The next two floors were stack of newer books with tables strewn about for studying, while the top floor was nothing but study rooms that needed to be reserved by students ahead of time for either one, three, or five hours at a time. Getting one of those during finals week was both a blessing and a curse.

The last floor in the building was a basement floor used for stacks of old articles and books, the archives that couldn't be exposed to the light for fear of the fragile pages turning white or falling apart. And, much to Seungcheol's displeasure, was also where the supply closet and lockers for employees was located.

He hit the old button for the basement floor, steeling himself for the rickety old elevator to jolt to life and take him down into the dark depths. It creaked slowly downwards and, as the old metal doors opened, cast a small halo of light out into the otherwise pitch blackness.

He sighed again, grabbing the cart and pulling it out after him, willing his frantically beating heart to slow down and not be so loud in the otherwise quiet space. He took speedy steps down the main corridor in the center of the room, passing shelves upon shelves of old books with twisted leather spines. He had never liked it down there, always getting an odd vibe from being in there, pins and needles flicking across his exposed arms and up the back of his neck like he was being watched.

Seungcheol hurried along, every few steps he took causing a motion sensor light to flick on over head, just a small circle of light only a few feet in each direction. Finally making it to the storage room and in record speed, he unlocked the door and shoved the cart in with a loud groan. He grabbed his coat off of the little hook by the door and made sure his headphones and wallet were still in the pockets before turning on his heel and stopping dead in his tracks.

One of the motion sensor lights on the other side of the room, one that he was sure had been off before was shining like a beacon in the darkness.

Immediately, he felt sweat rise on his palms as he gripped his phone tight, ready to call for help if the need arose. Nobody should have been down there except him.

“Um… hello?” He called out, probably a moment of stupidity on his part, but he couldn't help it. When there was no response he crept to the edge of the bookshelf and leaned around to look, heart once again hammering away in his chest, but when he looked ahead there was nothing there.

He jumped and nearly screamed as his phone suddenly started ringing, an orchestra of noise in a very small space, echoing back and making his ears buzz. Looking down at the screen in his hand, he clicked answer and slowly lifted the phone to his ear, praying beyond all hope it was just Josh calling to see what was taking so long.

“Hello.” His breath was coming out in small pants, panic rising when all that greeted him was the garbled sound of static and a high pitched whine growing louder and louder.

He panicked, trying to hang up as fast as possible, but it was at that moment that the overhead lights flicked off, causing him to drop his phone with a loud clunk.

“Shit!”

His curse was met with a rumbling growl, not far in front of him and it was as if fate was playing the cruelest joke she could, the light flicked on to show that where there was once nothing now stood an all black beast. Seungcheol stood still, not sure if he should run or if he should lie down and play dead, hope that this thing wasn't there for a meal.

It stood on all fours, massive paws bigger than Seungcheol's own hand lined in razor sharp claws. Its feet were scaled and where the joints in its long legs looked to be the scales faded into thick but patchy fur that looked matted and caked in grime. The creature's long tail was also furry, but ended in a sharp set of spikes at the tip, and it swung almost lazily from side to side as it watched Seungcheol.

The most striking thing about it wasn't it's size, though it did come roughly to the center of Seuncheol's chest, but more so the massive head. It was almost like a dogs, with pointed ears and a long about, but it had lines of razor sharp teeth exposed and glinting and its eyes were almost cat-like, thin slits for pupils dilating as it focused on every small movement the other made.

Seungcheol put his hands out slowly in front of him, taking as quiet of breaths as he could and speaking in the softest tone he could muster.

“Hey there… You're kinda blocking my exit, so I'm just gonna go around you and hope that you don't wanna eat me.”

He took a slow step into the center of the aisle, and then another, hoping to make it to the other side of the room and use the emergency exit door to get out into the alley before he was mauled to death.

The dog-thing watched him go, taking a few more slow steps and Seungcheol, despite his better judgement relaxed just a fraction before the thing threw its head back and howled, a noise deep and haunting. It was in that moment that he made a choice, booking it towards that exit as the lights behind him flashed with the beast's movement.

He slammed into the door handle hard, pushing the heavy door only enough for his body to slip out and allowing it to slam shut almost as soon as he was in the not so fresh air of the alleyway. There was a loud slam as the beast threw its body against the steel door, but Seungcheol didn't stop to think about it as he whirled around and headed to the main road.

It was as he was turning the last corner into the main road that he slammed into something hard, letting out a loud grunt as he hit the ground.

“Hey, hey! Cheol?”

Joshua's cool hands grabbed him, having scrambled across the ground from where he also had landed to grab at Seungcheol's arms, pulling them away from his face.

“God, you're burning up. Why were you running?”

“We gotta go. We gotta go now.” In his panicked state of mind, Seungcheol disregarded his fever as well as the little scrapes on his palms and legs. He hauled himself up and grabbed Josh, practically flinging him into his own car.

Josh nodded, kicking into gear and peeling out of the parking lot at an alarming speed for someone who normally was a stickler for traffic rules.

Seungcheol took a moment to breathe before looking into the rearview mirror as they tore out onto the main road. The last thing he saw was a pair of glowing yellow eyes staring back from the steps of the library.


	2. Two

The image of yellow eyes, large and calm, like they were calculating and assessing him more than being an animal in a frenzy, stuck with him the whole ride home. That, and the fact that the face they belonged to was also decidedly less animal and very much a man. It was somehow familiar, but he couldn't remember why.

By the time Seungcheol and Joshua were up the five flights of stairs that led to their home and at the door of their shared apartment, neither having said a word about what had taken place, they were both panting, exhausted, and standing on shaking legs.

Before either of them could do so much as reach a hand out towards the door, it whipped open, letting out a rolling wave of warmth and the smell of Jeonghan's fancy bath bombs. Said man was standing on the other side, face red and the look he leveled the two of them with promised death.

“Do either of you realize you have phones for a reason. I have called each of you at least-” His thought tapered off as the look on his face changed to one of slight, almost parental, panic. “Does he have a fever? Did you see something?!”

Josh sighed, adjusting his grip around Seungcheol's waist. A noise equal parts tired and annoyed. A noise only Joshua would be brave enough to make in the face of Jeonghan's potential fury that was both as hot and unpredictable as a dying star, but also able to make you feel as if you had been doused in ice water.

“Can you help me get him in, Hannie. He's gonna need a bath.”

“I can speak for myself,” Seungcheol muttered, mostly to himself as the other two had ready kicked into Save-Seungcheol's-Ass mode. They led him inside, each supporting a side.

The bath they eventually settled him in wasn't too cold, but cool enough to feel great against his feverish skin. He sighed in content, sinking down a little farther into the water. All shame at being naked around his friends thrown out the window years ago after one too many of these moments and a few drunken escapades that he prayed stayed buried in the recesses of his mind where they rightfully belonged.

Josh settled on the floor, back resting against the closed door while Jeonghan perched on the counter by the sink. Both were surprisingly quiet for their situation, probably waiting for Seungcheol to start talking first. He owed them an explanation, he knew he did, but it could wait at least a few more minutes while his tense muscles relaxed and the water warmed up a bit; awkward silence be damned.

Seungcheol sat up slightly, grabbing one of the fancy smelling soaps from the edge of the tub, dumping a random amount into the water and waved his hands around under the surface until it formed an almost pitiful amount of bubbles. At least it smelled good.

Finally content, he went to open his mouth to say something, but Joshua beat him to it, eyes still locked on a random spot on their ugly tiled floor.

“I saw it.” His voice was surprisingly even as he said it and that small confession made something cold and hard settle in Seungcheol's stomach.

“What do you mean you saw it? What did you see?” Jeonghan was a little less composed, his voice rising a few octaves as he spoke.

“I mean, I saw… well, I don't know. It wasn't human and then it was.” He finally looked up at Seungcheol, who had such a tight hold on the edge of the tub that his knuckles turned white. “Is that what you see all the time?”

He shook his head, deciding that maybe keeping his mouth shut would be best, less likely to need to throw up, the sharp acidic taste of bile sitting in the back of his throat.

Seungcheol didn't know how to feel. On the one hand, he had always wondered what it would be like to know he wasn't alone, that he wasn't crazy or sick like his doctors seemed to think. He fantasized as a child about finding someone like him, someone not entirely normal who faced the same things so that maybe they could face them together.

As he grew older though he decided maybe it was best it was only him facing these demons by himself. If he was crazy, then those things couldn't hurt anyone but him. They wouldn't frighten his family or friends and then he could face them with a renewed strength knowing they would never really win over him.

It was a confusing mix of feelings. It was like being the only child in school who believed in Santa; missing out on the big reveal of your parents being behind the magic all along, losing that sense of wonder, but also holding onto that little bit of hope that maybe, just maybe you're right and everyone else is wrong and you will be rewarded for your faith.

Or maybe not. He didn't know.

Now though, his mind raced with all the meanings behind Joshua's words.

He wasn't crazy.

He wasn't alone.

The creatures and nightmares were solid and real.

They were frighteningly real and everyone he loved was in danger.

He didn't know what to do, panic freezing him in place, the water pooled around his waist and thighs no longer comforting, but like ice touched to his bare skin. Seungcheol's breathing was getting a little thinner, more erratic, he could feel the fear building like a thick fog in his chest. It was suffocating.

“Well,” Jeonghan's voice broke through the panic filling his brain as his attention snapped to his friend's calm looking face. Hasn't he just been panicking a moment ago? “If it's a fight these things want, it's a fight they're gonna get.” And then he smiled, bright and very not scared for some reason.

The bubble of tension in the room and in Seungcheol's muscles popped, and for a minute he didn't realize the bright, loud laugh he heard was his own. It spilled from his chest like thick honey, gruff and deep and shortly after Joshua's much lighter laugh joined in.

Their whole situation was crazy and ridiculous and exactly what they would find themselves dealing with. The three boys had never been very good at staying out of trouble, but they defended one another with the ferocity of family. A family they made by choice and not by blood. A choice that was much, much stronger than whatever they were facing.

After their laughter died down to soft giggles, Jeonghan opened his mouth again, still smiling calmly at the two of them.

“It's not a question of if anymore… These things you see are here. We have research on them though. Josh, you've been writing details on his,” he pointed at Seungcheol, “experiences since we were kids.” Joshua nodded, fingers idly playing with the hem of his sweater.

“Seungcheol, you said you get warnings before these things show up, so we have at least a small jump on them.” Jeonghan nodded to himself as he stopped for a moment, obviously thinking things through. “And I have both the uncanny ability to get information and,” he paused for dramatic effect, “I may have an idea.”  
\---

Jeonghan's idea had led them to a small shop in a secluded part of town a few days later, after the three of them had rested and Seungcheol recovered from his last encounter. He had wanted to go out immediately, but both of his friends had put a stop to that, saying he was better to them well rested and he still had to explain what had happened the other night at work.

The shop was small and looked like something out of a movie to Seungcheol. The exterior was dark blue painted brick, wide windows glowing with dark pink and purple neon signs that lit up just enough of the inside to see tall displays of bottles filled with mysterious liquids and comfortable looking chairs topped with stacks of dusty books. There were little potted plants placed all over the display windows as well as the outside, flowers blooming bright and pretty. The sign above the door read “Miracle” in clean, clear font.

“How did you find this place again?” Josh asked in disbelief, looking almost skeptically at the store. Jeonghan waved a hand at his dismissively.

“I heard one of the underclassmen I tutor talking about it. Seemed like a secret almost and like he didn't want me to hear, so I made sure to listen in.” His grin was sharp and very much proud of his achievement. Josh just shook his head.

“Ah, and there he is.” Jeonghan pointed to the younger boy walking towards them from the other direction. He was shorter than Seungcheol, with silvery grey hair and a sharp jawline. The boy had his hands stuffed into the pocket of his oversized hoodie, backpack bouncing against his shoulders with every step, and seemed more focused on his feet than the trio.

He almost ran straight into them at the door of the shop before making a small noise, like a choked off yelp, before jumping back a step. His eyes narrowed in on Jeonghan for a moment before sighing.

“Hello, hyung.”

“Channie, just who I wanted to see.”

“Did you foll-”

“Of course not, Chan.” Jeonghan cut the boy off with a wave of his hand. “Do you really think I'd do that?”

The boy's eyes narrowed before he shrugged, either missing or completely ignoring Joshua's muttered ‘of course.’

“What are you doing here?” He asked instead, looking up at the storefront with a face that looked as if he was asking some deity to save him.

“Was in the neighborhood. The store's cute. I wonder what they sell.”

Chan seemed to think it over before shrugging and walking into the shop ahead of them. A little bell over the door jingled as they walked in causing the clerk behind the counter to look up at them and smile.

“Welcome to Miracle, how can I help you? Oh, Chan. You here to see Gyeom?” His light blue eyes, contacts probably, crinkled a little at the corners when he smiled and as he adjusted his stance to stand a bit taller, Seungcheol took note of how skinny he was as well.

Chan was looking back at the other three, a small look of surprise on his face before turning back to the clerk, Bambam his nametag read.

“Yeah…” Is voice lowered some before he continued. “The guys were hoping something would come up today.” Bambam nodded at him with a soft look on his face.

“He's in the back with his boyfriend. I'll let him know you're here in a minute. Go ahead and take a seat.” Bambam's attention then turned on Seungcheol. “Can I help you guys?”

Jeonghan walked closer to the counter, pulling the others with him.

“What is this place?” He asked after a minute, some of the confidence he had with Chan fading into curiosity. Bambam just smiled at him, leaning with his arms crossed against the counter.

“Miracle caters to those who are interested in fortunes and other non-traditional methods of healing, communication, and the like.” It was said in a way that made Seungcheol think that he had memorized it and said it back to tourists over and over again.

“Oh. What are you here for then, Chan? I didn't know you believed in this stuff.” Jeonghan turned on the youngest, keeping his tone light as to not come across harsh.

Chan shrugged, keeping his eyes on his hands as he picked at his nails. He didn't seem embarrassed, per say, but more cautious. Seungcheol made a face as he watched him carefully. What young college kid would be weird about seeing a psychic? It's one of those ideas Seungcheol himself had thought up in the past, a last ditch effort to try and score some answers for finals that ended in last minute cramming, tears, and a barely passed grade no thanks to the supposed other side.

“A friend of a friend is missing,” he said after a few minutes of tense silence. “The cops aren't doing much and this is all I can think of to help.”

The air that surrounded them was tense, like a heavy suffocating blanket was draped over their shoulders. Jeonghan looked at his feet, upset that hadn't taken a step back in his search for something suspicious. Bambam looked as if he was ready to bolt from the room to get away from the strange atmosphere. Joshua, though, just looked thoughtful.

A loud bang followed by a high pitched giggle that turned into a strange strangled noise, almost like that of a loud bird, shook them all from their own thoughts. A moment later a tall boy with fluffy black hair entered the room and scanned them all before shrugging to himself, seemingly ignoring the very obvious tension. 

His dark eyes, though he looked playful with the grin on his face, seemed to look right into ans through Seungcheol, as if he was seeing too much of what made him tick. The long star shaped earring that dangled from one ear and the tiny mole beneath his eye made him seem cute and friendly, but his aura was definitely unsettling.

Bambam sighed loudly, shaking his head as the new boy came up behind him and draped an arm over his shoulders.

“You should have told me Chan was already here, Bammie.” He leaned to look at the former. “Sorry for the wait.”

“It's okay,” Chan responded quietly, getting up before following the mystery boy into a back room with a small wave of his hand in their direction, Bambam taking a quick swat at the taller's rear end before they disappeared behind a thick blue curtain.

“That was Yugyeom,” Bambam said after a moment. “He's our youngest, but also our resident psychic. He does all the readings for customers except for when Mark-hyung is in town. You'd think his muscle bun boyfriend would keep him focused, but he just distracts him more.” He pauses, looking directly at Seungcheol as he speaks. “Anyways, Mark might be better fit to do a reading for you.”

That feeling of being laid bare for all to see swept over him again as he nodded almost dumbly. Bambam just grinned wide.

“Good.”

At that Seungcheol decides he needs a breather, chest tight with a strange feeling and turning to stumble out of the store on shaking legs. He didn't know what Hannie had stumbled upon at Miracle, but it was certainly odd and he didn't know if he liked it or not.

Jeonghan followed him out, worry written across his features.

“Are you okay? Did you… You know.”

“No. I just needed air.” He leans against the brick wall, listening to the leaves on the nearby trees sway in the soft breeze. There is also the soft sound of a wind chime coming from somewhere. He can feel the question bubbling in the back of his throat before he can stop it. “Did they seem weird to you?”

Jeonghan shrugs.

“They seemed,” he stops, seemingly searching for the word, “eccentric. But kinda nice. They're helping Chan…”

Josh finally makes his way out onto the sidewall, face a little pale as well.

“At least I'm not the only one that felt weird,” Seungcheol starts, but pauses as Josh thrusts a poster into his hand. On closer inspection he notes it is a missing person's poster and his face goes hot while his veins feel like ice.

“The clerk… he handed me that on my way out. Please, tell me I'm wrong about this.”

“What? What's going on?” Jeonghan looks between the two utterly confused.

Seungcheol hands him the paper and listens as he reads.

“Min Yoongi. 25. Went missing on campus about a week ago… What about him?”

“Hannie,” Joshua's voice is both soft, but has the underlying spark of terror in it, “That's the person we saw at the library. The thing that attacked Seungcheol.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was kinda garbage, but it's something... Also other idol cameos!   
> And 10 points to your Hogwarts house if you figure out Gyeom's bf.
> 
> Next chapter should be an intro to BSS.


	3. Three

There are only so many conclusions one can come to when presented with the information that someone they know also knows a “missing” man who not only can turn into a giant dog monster, but also attacked them in the middle of the night. None of those conclusions were either logical or desirable. Joshua helpfully supplied that logic, at this point, could go fuck itself.

Despite all of the confusion buzzing within him, life went on, sweeping Seungcheol with it. The beginning of the week rolled around like his disaster of a weekend had never even existed and Seungcheol walked onto campus bright and early that morning with a sense of anticipation rolling in his gut. Whether that was good or bad was still to be decided.

The sun was shining and the main walkway through the gates of the university were crowded, groups of people huddled together to talk over assignments, sleepy students dragging themselves through the bustling crowd, and a short boy with dark hair and large headphones on, loud music cutting off any outside interruptions, almost barreled into Seungcheol on his way to class.

Everything seemed normal though. No scary monster dogs and no strange missing boys. It was almost painfully ordinary until Seungcheol reminded himself that maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

He shook his head, hiking his backpack up onto his shoulder and pressing through the crowd towards one of the buildings his class was located in. The soft swish of the automated doors brought a sense of calm with it. Seungcheol made it to class without anything strange happening, maybe, just maybe, it was just a fluke and he could continue his routine and almost (despite the visions) normal life.

Classes went by in a blur, the teachers’ montoned and lullabic voices lulling him farther and farther into a sense of security that waking up to the library for his short shift that night was a piece of cake. If anything, he had thought his calm would come crashing down once he was within the building, strolling across the floor to the ancient elevator, but even then the calm remained.

And even at the end of his shift everything was still quiet and just plain normal. Not even a single vision had plagued Seungcheol the whole time, allowing him to finish all of his work with enough time for him to find sources for a paper assigned as homework that day.

He picked up his phone, humming a little victory tune as he called his roommates, waiting two rings before it was picked up.

“What happe-”

“Do you want me to pick up something for you from the convenience store on my way home?” He interrupted Jeonghan's almost panicked voice with his own calm one.

“Do… Do I… Seungcheol! I thought something was happening you idiot!” A moment of silence came over the line before a heavy sigh. He must have repeated the question to Josh because there was murmuring before he got a response.

“Swing by here. We'll walk with you to that coffee shop close to the house. Shua wants to try their pastries.” There was a pause. “And we can use that time to discuss your lax response to being in possible danger.”

Seungcheol swiftly hung up to avoid the lecture with a swift “see you soon” and hurried along to the apartment to pick up a smiling Josh and a pouting Jeonghan.

The bakery was only a few blocks away, busy but quiet compared to most shops at that time of night. Soft music drifted from the open doors along with the enticing smell of butter and coffee.

The line moved quickly and soon enough the three were sat outside on one of the small metal tables surrounded by trimmed bushes and potted plants. Seungcheol sipped at his hot coffee before deciding to let it cool, opting to shove a whole chocolate chip scone into his mouth, cheeks puffing out like a food crazed hamster.

The soft background noise of conversations, music, and the hum of machines filled the night along with Jeonghan's soft scoffing laugh at Seungcheol face. The three settled into a sense of calm; one they haven't felt in the last few days and it was nice. Almost enough to push the thoughts of magic and demons and strangeness to the place in their minds reserved only for their worst moments, a brokenness that should never reach the light of day again.

But all good things must come to an end.

Seungcheol shoved the last scone into his mouth, humming at the slow melting sweetness as the others gathered their trash to dump into a nearby bin. It was late, the sky had turned to an almost inky blackness, still purple and blue at the edges, when a yelp caught their attention.

The sound had come from the alleyway between the little coffee shop and another indiscriminate building. Jeonghan immediately paled, looking ready to sprint away in an instant, while Joshua just raised an eyebrow in solent question. Do they check it out?

The events of the last few days came rushing back to Seungcheol, struggling to swallow the last of his food, now tasting bland as ash in his mouth. It was a similar moment to this the last time, his mind supplied; the blur of an alley, strange noises, but he nodded, pushing himself ahead of the others and creeping down the alley to the back of the building.

Seungcheol's fingers grazed along grimy brick as his eye adjusted to the slowly fading light, the only real source was the moon and a bare bulb above the service door, and his muscles coiled tight ready to either run or fight at a moments notice.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, flicking on camera mode and using that to peer around the edge. Better safe than sorry. Seungcheol froze when he saw three boys, huddled together talking in low voices. One was even wearing an apron with the logo of the bakery on the breast of it.

He was about to wave the other two away, noticing that maybe this wasn't something they should be spying on when the boys voices rose loud enough for Seungcheol to hear something that sparked his interest; hellhound.

He turned and mouthed for the others to be quiet so that he could hear better, the other three's rising voices making it much easier.

“What do we do if we can't find him?” The tallest of the three asked. Seungcheol couldn't see his features since his back was turned, but his voice was distinct; not super deep but kinda nasally.

One of the others, the one with the apron, shrugged exaggeratedly. It somehow made his chubby hamster cheeks puff up even more, causing his cat-like eyes to almost disappear.

“I don't know, but Hoonie isn't taking this well. He's being more of a hardass than normal.” The third one, shorter than the other two and with deep blue dyed hair said, an air of annoyance in his tone. Or maybe it was poorly disguised worry.

“We're all worried… But it's his brother, Seungkwan. Wouldn't you be a little,” the hamster paused, gesturing as if that would convey what he meant, “you know, too?”

Blue boy, Seungkwan, his mind helpfully added, sighed.

“Yeah.”

“So what are we gonna do?” The tall one shuffled, kicking at something on the ground.

It was at this point that Seungcheol could feel either Jeonghan or Joshua shuffle behind him, probably trying to get closer and listen in as well, both having tried to get Seungcheol's attention.

He turned to look at them only to yelp when he saw another boy standing at the mouth of the alleyway. He was small, quite a bit shorter than himself, but the look he gave them was one of fire and most likely a promise of pain.

Seungcheol's yelp had alerted the three strangers, the shuffling of feet behind him solidifying that that was true and soon Seungcheol, Josh, and Jeonghan were surrounded.

The tallest one, now that Seungcheol could see him properly, had a long face with prominent cheekbones and jawline. He sighed, shaking his head before leaning against the wall, crossing his arms.

“Eavesdropping isn't cool, first off.” He sounded way too calm for having three guys listening in on whatever that conversation was. “What are you even doing here?”

“We heard you mention someone's missing. Are you Chan's friends?” Joshua took a step forward away from where they were pressed against the wall. He looked back and forth between the three in the alley and the one by the street.

The hamster boy perked up.

“You know Channie?”

“Hoshi.” The short boy's voice, though almost melodic despite how he slurred the word, cut through the air.

Seungcheol could sense the tension in that one word, having watched the boy's face grow darker and darker as the others spoke and how hamster boy flinched. He didn't know what to do, but from what he heard and witnessed this had to be Min Yoongi's little brother. The boy trying to find his missing family and they were just putting that conversation out there with him and strangers to witness it.

Seungcheol stepped forwards, hands up in a hopefully placating gesture.

“We… well, i'm not gonna say we didn't mean to pry, but we may have some information about your missing brother.”

“What?”

“I think we saw him a few nights ago, at the campus library, but it was a weird and scary situation and we're not entirely sure.”

The boy's eyes narrowed in on him and the other three seemed to stop in place, either stunned or waiting for the explosion that might just happen now that that information was out there between them, hanging in space, heavy and uncomfortable.

“Who are you?” He didn't sound mad, mistrusting maybe, but not mad. His tone had cooled down a degree, holding less bite than it had before.

“I'm Seungcheol. These are my friends Jeonghan and Josh.” Each boy raised their hands in a small hello.

“Jihoon.”

It was all he said before he turned on his heel and stalked off into the street.

Hamster boy stepped forwards.

“I'm Soonyoung, but everyone calls me Hoshi. This is Seokmin and Seungkwan.” He looked him over head to toe before gesturing towards the way Jihoon went. “We should probably follow. You have a lot of explaining to do and I think we do too.”  
\---

On their walk, Seungcheol learned that Hoshi was a talker. Seungkwan was very animated as well and the two bickered the whole way. Seokjin was practically sunshine, shooting them smiles of reassurance as they trudged into the unknown.

“Are you positive we're not going to be murdered?” Jeonghan whispered for the third time since they left, Jihoon just a dot of motion in the dark.

“If we wanted to murder you there was that perfectly good alley we were in.” Seungkwan piped up, making Jeonghan jump from his closeness and Josh laugh out loud.

“We're taking you to our house. It's student housing, but there are ten of us, so it's way better than the dorms.”

“There's ten of you?!”

Seokmin nodded, humming.

They approached the house, an older building, painted an interesting shade of yellow and surrounded by other odd little houses. The front walkway was littered with a few tipped over bikes, a pair of roller skates, as well as other miscellaneous items.

Jihoon was already opening the front door, kicking off his shoes and shrugging his thick black sweater off, hanging it among numerous other coats in the entrance. Seungcheol followed his lead, stumbling over his own feet to kick his shoes off.

They were lead into a large open living room with two nice sized couches, a few boys were scattered through the room. One was on one of the couches, face hidden behind a book and leaning against another boy, his eyes focused on the large television that took up one wall, smiling and showing off sharp canines as he passed by the character which could only belong to the skinny boy sprawled out across the floor (if his loud groan was anything to go by.)

Off to the left was an open kitchen, counters covered in cups and plates. An empty pizza box sat abandoned on the kitchen table. Seungcheol could feel Josh's judging stare without even looking.

None of the other boys seemed to notice three extra tag alongs until Jihoon cleared his throat and motioned for them to sit on the empty couch.

“Who're they?” The boy on the floor asked bluntly, sitting up to stare them down as Seungcheol took a seat. He had a handsome face, half hidden golden brown hair.

“They're gonna tell us about Yoongi.” Jihoon muttered. It caught the others attention. “Vernon, go get the others.”

He nodded and ran off and in what felt like the blink of an eye, ten boys were sat all over the living room, all staring Seungcheol down.

“Hey Chan.” Jeonghan stated, smiling softly, obviously out of his element.

“Hyung.”

“You were gonna tell us about my brother.” Jihoon stepped in, looking every bit exhausted at this point. Seungcheol nodded, sighing.

He started from the beginning; his seeing things and worked all the way up to the night he was attacked. Josh stepped in here or there to fill in where he missed something about the attack, and at one point Jeonghan had pulled out Josh's journal. He had taken to carrying it around in case of an attack so they could draw whatever appeared.

There, on the last page was the sketch Josh had done of the boy he and Seungcheol had seen. It was almost a perfect match to the boy on the poster, minus the cute gummy smile.

After it all, Jihoon seemed to deflate. He sagged into a chair that was pulled from the kitchen by one of the others, tapping the tips of his fingers together before lookinh up through his bangs at Seungcheol.

“I think it's our turn to explain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was a struggle to write... I'm one of those people that has scenes planned but struggles to get the plot to connect them. I hope this isn't too boring. Next chapter is gonna be the powers reveal.


	4. Four

“I think it's our turn to explain.”

The words washed over Seungcheol like a fizzing blanket, sparks of curiosity and anticipation dancing along his skin, making him twitch and fidget as he waited. His hands were sweating and he nervously rubbed them against his jeans.

“Min Yoongi is my half brother… The only family I have left.” Jihoon was looking at the floor as he spoke, voice soft and almost broken sounding. “He comes across as an ass sometimes… but he's actually not.”

One of the other boys, the tallest one with the sharp smile from earlier sat up, gaining their attention. He shot a pitying look towards Jihoon before looking back at the other three.

“Yoongi-hyung lives with one of my close friends. He looks out for them and for the rest of us.”

“Mingyu…” The one with the book still in his hands says slowly, voice low and deep, grabbing the other's knee softly with his free hand.

Jihoon looked up again, making direct eye contact with Seungcheol, causing a chill to run down his back and make him sit up straighter.

“What he's saying is that my brother, in his right mind, would never just attack someone for no reason. He's protective and comes across cold, but he's not violent.” He pauses, rubbing his hands over his face. “Even despite what he… we… are.”

“Wait, what?” Seungcheol's eyebrows furrowed.

Jihoon sighed again, something he was doing more and more as the night wore on. Seungcheol could tell he was exhausted, both physically and mentally. There were purpling bruises standing out against the pale skin of his face, lining his eyes. He slumped in on himself, making his body look even smaller that it already was.

“My brother and I can shapeshift.” Jihoon said it simply, laid the truth out bare before these three strangers that they did not know. Seungcheol felt a wave of appreciation for this boy and his bravery to admit something so shockingly not normal about himself.

It would have sounded crazy to him or anyone else in different circumstances, but he knew what it was like to not have people believe him. He knew what it was like to be seen as crazy for what you could do or see.

“Into that big dog thing?” Joshua said, voice the ever present calm in the storm.

“Hellhound.” Jihoon corrected.

“Okay, hellhound.” He nods, most likely committing that term to memory, a new piece of information for his notes later. “Wait, does that mean you all can?”

Vernon, the skinny boy from earlier steps forward.

“We're not all shapeshifters, no, but we have abilities.”

“Can we see?” Jeonghan looked genuinely interested, gaze moving from one person to the next, his curiosity apparent in the curve of his lips and the way he held himself.

A slap to the middle of his chest made him jump, and he turned, giving Joshua and incredulous look for the offensive gesture.

“You can't just ask them to show you, Hannie. That's rude.”

Suddenly, a soft laugh, slowly growing in strength started, causing the others to also chuckle along. Chan sat there, curled in on himself, shoulders shaking with his laughter.

“Leave it to hyung to bring that up first and not question us even saying we have gifts.”

Jeonghan just shrugs, resting a cheek against his propped up hand, smiling at Chan softly as he talked.

Mingyu stretches then, arms raised above his head, grin splitting his face and looking way too mischievous and handsome at the same time.

“Who wants to show off?”

A chorus of voices fill the room, arms raised in the air with the chaotic energy of a bunch of young magical boys. Seungcheol laughed to himself, seeing the excitement on each boy's face as they tried to gain attention first. He could only imagine how long it had been for them to be able to flex this piece of themselves, especially in a world that thought them nothing more that fiction. To show off to a bunch of new faces, friendly faces.

“Let the youngest start.” Jihoon’s voice breaks through the chaos, silencing the others.

“Yes!” Chan stands, moving to the center of the room as the others move about quickly, shifting furniture out of the way and to the safety of the corner of the room as Chan stretches his limbs out slowly.

When he refocuses, his gaze is intense, hyper focused and ready. Chan moves to hold his hands out, palms facing the opposite wall and face set in a look of stern determination as slowly, one by one, small objects around the room start lifting from their places upon tables and chairs and make their way to orbit around the young boy, like a magnetic pull and gravitational orbit all at once.

Chan becomes the center of a slow swirling vortex of glasses and picture frames, pens, loose change, and even the book that the one boy had been reading earlier.

From beside him, Seungcheol can hear Hannie's small intake of breath. It's a sound of astonishment and excitement all mixed together, but just as quickly as Chan's display starts, it ends. Some of the boys manage to catch the more fragile items before they hit the floor, but the small clattering of items hitting the hard wood breaks them out of their momentary reverie, which is quickly overtaken by an excited rumbling of blurred together voices and cheers.

“That was the most you ever picked up!”

“I can't believe you managed to hold it for so long.”

“Broke my favorite mug though.”

Throughout it all, Chan stands there, in the midst of his mess, a proud, but equally shy smile adorning his face as his friends clap him on the back in congratulations.

Seungcheol looks to his two friends, hoping to see a mirrored look of wonder on their faces as he suspects is on his own. Josh is staring at the floor, mouth slightly agape in awe and maybe a little in horror at the mess, while Jeonghan is practically glowing, eyes locked on the youngest. It's a soft look as much as it is proud and Seungcheol makes a note to ask about it later.

After the round of cheers and encouragements simmer down to a dull roar, another one of the boys, the tall.one with the sharp smile, Mingyu, breaks free to step over the circle of broken and displaced objects to take Chan's spot, playfully pushing him out of the way before exaggeratedly cracking his knuckles.

He smiles before snapping the fingers of his left hand and the light atmosphere that filled the room quickly dissipated as what felt like a bubble pushed against the bodies in the room, sucking the air towards it like a vacuum before the items on the floor slowly begin to piece themselves back together.

When Mingyu finally lowers his hand he tilts his head to the side, almost like a puppy in appearance, as he waits for the praise that Chan got as well.

“You're such a show off, Gyu,” one of the boys yells in a tone that is very much playful and as Mingyu pouts the others burst into giggles. The first to break away and actually pat the top of the boy's head, is the one that way laying on him earlier, small sharp eyes focused on the pout gracing Mingyu's features and small smile gracing his own face as he leans in to whisper soft words. Whatever he says works because the big goofy smile is quick to spread across the others face again.

“So you fix things?” Josh looks contemplative as he asks. Mingyu smiles somehow even brighter at someone asking about his power.

“I can create time pockets. Right now they're kinda small, but I can either reverse time in short amounts or slow down and speed up whatever is inside.”

Josh nods along to the explanation before following Mingyu off to the corner of the room, probably to ask.more questions as the rest of the boys take their turns.

The night went on like that, one by one, the boys either showing or explaining their gifts. Seokmin has the power to control and bend light. Seungkwan can enchant with just his voice before screaming at such a loud volume that when he offered to show them the others quickly stepped in to stop him, claiming they didn't need another bill for a shattered window that Mingyu couldn't fix himself.

Before he knew it, Seungcheol and the others had all settled down into a comfortable state, snacks strewn across tables, movie playing in the background, and small groups conversing like they have been friends forever.

Soonyoung insisted they stay the night, it being both dark and now way late into the night. He had already started building a large fort of blankets in the middle of the floor, muttering on about how they were splitting up sleeping arrangements.

Seungcheol, hit with the need for a little air and maybe a cold drink, made his way to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water before slipping out the patio doors onto the back porch.

The house had a small yard behind it, fenced in with white chipped and peeling boards, but was secluded and it looked as if someone at least tried to keep the tiny garden and potted plants littered around the patio in good condition.

The air was cool on his skin and it made him shiver slightly as he walked over to a slightly concerning looking sun chair on one corner of the patio, facing out towards the back fence which had had little holes drilled into the wood, colorful marbles placed within and reflecting the light of the moon and the city through them in a pretty kaleidoscope of colors. Seungcheol tested the seat's sturdiness with his foot before gingerly sitting down and taking in the view.

He was just about to close his eyes, taking a small sip of water when a soft voice broke through the sense of calm

“I'm sorry about them… They can be a bit much.” Jihoon motioned back towards the house before slowly sitting on the slightly damn grass, plucking a few strands to nervously fiddle with.

Seungcheol coughed a little, having inhaled gis drink at the surprise of the smaller man showing up beside him before choking out a “They all seem nice.”

Jihoon just nods, going silent and focusing on his hands in his lap.

“I… I really am sorry about your brother…” Seungcheol tries in a much softer voice than he anticipated, feeling his heart jump a little at the small smile the other man gives him.

“Thanks.”

“I wish there was more I could do to help.” And he finds that that isn't a lie. Yes, he was attacked and it was frightening, but Seungcheol can't help but believe the boy beside him that whatever attacked him wasn't really his brother.

He leans over, placing a soft hand on Jihoons shoulder.

“We'll help you find him…” he pauses. “Save him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long wait!  
> Life got a bit crazy as there was construction on my apartment and I was taking extra shifts at work.  
> This didn't turn out exactly how I wanted, but it's an update finally.  
> Any guesses on the other powers that I didn't mention in this chapter?


	5. Five

Waking up in a lawn chair is not something Seungcheol thought he would do without a night of blissful partying, the strong beat of music in his ears, pounding along with his heartbeat, and an extreme amount of alcohol running through his veins before hand, but here he is, breathing out a small puff of misty smoke into the early morning air as he rubs the sleep crusting his eyes. At some point someone must have come out and at least had the decency to throw a blanket over him.

He takes a moment to look around the back yard, even prettier now with the morning sunlight glowing through the back fence and casting rainbow reflections across the dew covered grass. The flowers are peppered with a light layer of dew and are slowly blooming, faces turned to meet the morning sun. He so enchanted by the scenery he startles a little at the sound of soft snores beside him and focuses in on the small body in the chair next to him.

Jihoon has his legs curled under himself so he's squished onto the chair, everything but his blonde dyed hair and sock covered toes covered by a soft grey blanket.

If the view before had Seungcheol enchanted, the endearing sight of the small man beside him had his heart doing backflips in his chest. He doesn't linger too much on the why's for this feeling and instead swallows down his quickening pulse and leans over to tap the general area he thinks Jihoon's legs are in to wake him up. It's not too cold out, but there is still a chance of getting sick and if there is one thing they don't need on top of their current list of dilemmas, it's for someone to catch a cold.

Jihoon shuffles a bit in his blanket burrito, eyes slowly peeking out to look at him, squinting against the light. It makes him somehow impossibly cuter, even with fabric lines pressed into his face from how he was sleeping.

“Wha’ time 's it?” He slurs.

“Not sure, but it's pretty early. C'mon, don't want to get sick out here.” Seungcheol stands slowly, offering a helping hand to the other and trying to hold in his giggles as he watches Jihoon attempt to fight his way out of his fabric prison, tripping over himself in the process and smacking right into Seungcheol's chest.

Jihoon looks up, his face a mix of mortified and sleepy still, cheeks turning an interesting shade of pink (he'll blame it on the wind and sleeping outside if asked) before pushing away from Seungcheol and muttering a thanks before scuttling into the house, blanket still tightly wrapped around his shoulders.

Seungcheol folds his own blanket up and follows, smiling to himself.

The house is still quiet, the kind of quiet you get in the early morning where it feels like a heavy warm haze is still settled over everything and your mind is still slow and soft, drifting, but not really sleeping or awake either. It's a nice kind of quiet. A calm kind of quiet.

There is a massive pile of blankets and pillows on the living room floor, bodies strewn across the soft surfaces, Jeonghan curled up in between Joshua and possibly Seokmin, his friends looking like they belong despite only knowing these boys for a day.

Jihoon, in his waddling escape from outside and Seungcheol, only made it as far as one of the empty couches, flopped on his stomach and an arm that had escaped the blanket dangling off the side of the couch.

The soft tinkling of dishes being moved about in the kitchen and the soft murmuring of voices forces Seungcheol to turn away and stop staring at the cute sight. He tosses his blanket across the back of the second couch before shuffling closer to the noises, the smell of food cooking hitting him and making his stomach growl. He didn't realize just how hungry he was and whatever was being made smelled amazing.

Seungcheol quietly steps into the kitchen, shuffling his socked feet across the cold tile floor and slipping into one of the bar chairs set up at the small counter. Mingyu is focused on the pancakes he is carefully flipping, an assortment of cut up fruits off to the side as toppings. Wonwoo is wrapped around Mingyu, arms around his waist and cheek squished against his back. He makes a small tired and lazy noise when he spots Seungcheol, nodding slightly, probably the closest to a good morning Seungcheol is going to get from him, the motion getting Mingyu’s attention.

“Morning, hyung,” he says, smiling as he looks away from the stove and at Seungcheol. “Hope you're hungry. I made enough to feed an army.”

“You always make enough to feed an army…” Wonwoo's mumbled voice is deep, still rough with sleep, but incredibly soft with his face still half hidden against Mingyu, who just laughs in response, the sound soft and tinkling like wind chimes. Nothing like his loud boisterous laugh the night before. It's nice, Seungcheol thinks.

Mingyu turns in Wonwoo's grasp, shuffling the older boy towards a chair and making him sit, hands firmly gripping his upper arms before he lightly taps the tip of his nose with a finger, before pulling away and serving up two plates of warm pancakes.

Their whole interaction is soft and well rehearsed like a dance, like they have been doing it for a long time. It reeks of domesticity and familiarity and it makes Seungcheol's heart ache in a fond way, a good way. Only one night and he is already fond of these boys, ones that, despite being strangers believed his story as well as trusted both his friends and himself enough to show them a part of their lives that would be strange and scary to others. Even now, sharing something as soft as the moment between Wonwoo and Mingyu, syrupy sweet and probably not something most get to experience with contented silence as opposed to an awkward jerk of limbs separating in swift panic and awkward silences after.

“Are you two together?” And just like that Seungcheol feels like he ruined it, his stomach dropping at his lack of brain-to-mouth filter. His eyes grow wide as he panics, but is quickly soothed over by the soft sound of Wonwoo laughing. It's just an exhale of breath, barely even there, but it was a laugh nonetheless.

“I thought it would be obvious,” he says, voice still low, but less sleep rough. “We are.”

Seungcheol just makes an 'ah’ noise before going back to his food, shoving a particularly large bite of pancake into his mouth to keep from saying anything else either embarrassing or stupid.

“Don't mind them,” a new voice chirps as the sounds of footsteps come up behind him. The new person, Minghao, hes guessing from both the teasing tone and the bony limbs now poking into his back and sides as the others heavily leans against his back. “They are disgustingly domestic and revoltingly romantic, especially in the mornings. Though, I give it an hour before they're bickering like an old married couple.”

Mingyu pulls back the plate he was preparing to hand to Minghao, fake offence written all over his face.

“For that, I'll let you starve.”

Their morning continues on like that, one by one the boys wake and shuffle their still sleep heavy limbs into the kitchen to grab plate fulls of warm breakfast, delivering not-so-insulting quips to one another before devolving into soft giggles and more play bickering. Minghao ends up being right, Mingyu and Wonwoo picking on one another until the two are half-heartedly play wrestling in the kitchen, the other boys egging them on and taking sides, a few joking bets made on who will win.

Jihoon is the last one to wake, still sitting in a daze on the couch, surrounded by more blankets and pillows than he had previously been. He looks soft and cuddly and nothing like he had the night before, all sharp looks and deadly silences. It's an odd juxtaposition, but at the same time it fits him well and, in Seungcheol's humble opinion, makes him more interesting and endearing.

Mingyu, having given up and pretty obviously letting Wonwoo win their fight (especially considering the fond smile on his face as he watches the older puff out his chest in a show of triumph), leans over the counter to hand Seungcheol a full plate of food.

“Do me a favor and take this to him, yeah?”

Seungcheol nods, getting up and shuffling his way out of the crowded and increasingly noisy kitchen, stepping over discarded bedding on his way to the couch, trying his hardest not to spill or drop the plate.

If he had been paying more attention, Seungcheol might have noticed the static hum in the background, so familiar by now that he must have been subconsciously tuning it out in favor of warm laughter and soft chattering. That was, until it grew in pitch, more and more grating and apparent the closer to Jihoon he got.

Seungcheol's steps wavered, vision going blurry at the edges, and he stumbled forward as a wave of dizziness took over his senses. Despite his best efforts, he dropped Jihoon's breakfast, the plate shattering against the floor with a sharp crack, sticky pancakes sent flying.

The loud noise broke the sleepy atmosphere, Jihoon's head snapping up from where he was lazily scrolling on his phone and causing the chatter to die down just as quickly in the kitchen.

“Hyung?” Jihoon's voice was cautious as he watched the older. “Are you okay?”

Seungcheol would have answered had his attention not been on finding the cause of his episode, eyes flickering from one side of the room to the other, preparing himself for whatever monstrosity was about to make itself known.

He missed Jihoon slowly rising from his seat. Missed him asking again if he was okay. Or Joshua and Jeonghan, followed by the other boys, emerging from the other room to watch in stunned silence as he stood breathing hard and uneven, eyes unfocused and far off.

What he did notice was the freezing cold breath he felt down the back of his neck, like an ice cube being slipped down the back of his shirt.

Seungcheol whipped around, expecting one of his monsters to have gotten too close, close enough to touch again. It would be too late if they did; sharpened claws closing in, teeth close enough to rip through flesh. Instead, he was met with the pale face of the boy he had seen at the library and on missing posters.

Min Yoongi looked small compared to the size of his hellhound. He looked sickly too. His skin was pale, a worrying shade of grey, hair limp and lifeless, plastered to his forehead with sweat. His lips were cracked and there were dark circles under his eyes. Impressive maybe, if not for how tired and just plain ill they made him look.

“Y-yoongi?” Seungcheol's voice wavered as he watched the other boy nod slowly. For such a small motion it looked unnatural and stiff, almost painful.

He opened his mouth as if to talk, but no sound came out before his body crumpled in on itself, shoulders twisting in towards his middle, making him look much smaller than before. An incredible feat. His body shook with still silent sobs, head shaking faster and faster in a silent pleading to stop.

He looked broken.

Seungcheol reached out to touch him, comfort him as best he could when Yoongi jerked away from his touch almost violently, letting out a strange hissing sound before going back to his previous state.

“I don't understand…” Seungcheol let out, wanting to cry along with this boy who was obviously in so much pain.

Yoongi's hand lifted, movements still odd and stiff, as if his body wasn't his own and he was fighting for control. Seungcheol followed the movement, gaze going from his broken posture and blue tinted fingers to what had been the door to the patio and the backyard.

Instead, his eyes met a wide open field, skies above dark and stormy. A thick fog rolled low across the ground, making it difficult to see much else in the high grass. He could feel the mist of rain on his skin, the thickness of the atmosphere crushing his lungs, and a smell that was both putrid and very familiar assaulting his senses.

Seungcheol took a slow step forward, jumping as the buzzing got louder before being broken by an ear piercing screech.

Across the field came a blur of movement, fog shifting and swirling as a body came tumbling out of the mist and rain. It looked like the figure of a man, taller than even Mingyu, skin still that disgusting color of decay and death. It's too long arms hung at its sides, clawed fingers curling and brushing the ground. It stopped and stood atop a small hill, eyeless face turning slowly, surveying the area.

Seungcheol watched on in silent, stunned horror as Yoongi stepped close behind him, resting his sharp chin on Seungcheol's shoulder, motioning over him at the creature as it threw its head back and let out another nightmare inducing sound. Seungcheol would have covered his ears if the boy behind him hadn't placed his cold hands against his arms, freezing him in place.

As the sound died down the fog seemed to part, giving a clear view of the ground beneath its feet. Seungcheol gasped, sucking in too much air and fighting his lungs as he choked, bile rising in his esophagus. He wanted to close his eyes, to curl into himself like Yoongi had earlier, but he couldn't move away, couldn't stop staring.

Tangled in the grass lay bodies. So many bodies.

Some were nothing but a flash of white bone, tangled forever in dark greens and washed clean of any signs of who they may have been before - unidentifiable. Others were the faces of his friends, old and recently acquired, piled together like they had been that morning during their sleepover.

He could see Mingyu, blood dripping from a large open wound on his head, eyes open and staring, lifeless even as his hand reached out towards another body, facedown in the grass, the back of his shirt shredded along with flesh.

He could see Minghao and Chan and Josh and Jeonghan. And worst of all he could see Jihoon, pinned to the ground under the creature, face twisted in horror as he looked right back at Seungcheol. His mouth moved slowly, trying to call out before the fog was back and a sickening crunch rang through the air.

Then there was silence.

Seungcheol gasped, enough air moving into his lungs to scream and flail against the hands holding him. They weren't cold anymore and before he knew it the last thing he heard was a soft voice calling out into the hum of too much movement.

“Someone call Mark!” A soft touch threading through his hair and trailing light paths down the side of his face. “You'll be okay… I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another update as a sorry for taking such a long break with this.  
> Some fluffy Jicheol - have it.  
> Soft Meanie - have it too.  
> And then I ruin it.
> 
> Feel free to leave predictions and questions in the comments. Or yell at me. I love reading them.


	6. Six

There was the sound of soft murmurs mixing together, the closest voice was unfamiliar but soft as silk, causing a strange sense of calm to spread through Seungcheol's feverish body. He relaxed back into someone's hold, hearing water slosh against what he supposed was the sides of a large bathtub. He refused to open his eyes though, just listening to the musical voice as the sounds around him seemed to tune in and become clearer, like a radio finally getting signal after being stuck on static for a while.

“What can you tell us, Mark?” The person holding him spoke, chest rumbling with each word. The arms around him weren't Jeonghan's for once, not thin enough to be his friends, but the touch was still soothing.

There was a soft sigh from beside him somewhere, a barely there exhale of breath. If Seungcheol reached out he could probably touch whoever it was, this Mark that was mentioned, probably. It was followed by the slow shuffling of feet.

“I can explain more when he wakes… but he is not a normal human, if that is what you thought.”

“I don't know what to think and you being cryptic as always isn't helping.”

“I'm not being cryptic.” Mark protests, voice still calm and even.

“Leaving things out is just as bad, you know.”

Seungcheol slowly opened his eyes, lids heavy and sight still blurry. He blinked to clear the fuzz from his vision, tilting his head back slightly to take in Jihoon's stern face from below, expression set in harsh lines like it was carved from stone. He looked vicious like this, but under it all there was something else. Worry maybe.

Lifting a hand from the cool water of the tub, Seungcheol reached up to poke a finger against the underside of Jihoon's clenched jaw, dragging a wet trail to his chin. If anyone asked why he did it, he wouldn't have an answer.

Jihoon jumped at the initial contact before going still, tilting his head slightly to the side to look down at Seungcheol. His stony expression melted a little before setting again as his eyes rose to the other figure in the room.

“He's awake. So explain.” The tone of his voice sent a shiver down Seungcheol's spine, the rumble of his voice still reverberating from his chest and against the side of Seungcheol's face.

“Fine. Gather in the living room after you're both dry. I'm sure you're not the only one who wants answers.”

At Marks words Seungcheol finally tore his gaze away from Jihoon's face.

Mark was thin, but insanely beautiful. All soft looks and large pretty features paired with sharp edges. His eyes were pale and focused, they held a warmth to them that seemed to radiate from his core, but it wasn't enough to hide that he had the same sort of strangeness about him as the other boy, the tall one from Miracle.

The thought hit him like a train, that this man too was from the small store. One of the other guys had mentioned something about seeing him. No time like the present, it seemed.

As the door to the bathroom swung shut with a soft click, Jihoon looked back down, face lined in worry even as he tried to smile.

“Hey, sleepy head…” The smaller boy took a breath in, his voice having gone a little unsteady on the last word. “Feeling better?”

Seungcheol nodded, smiling softly. He swayed his hand nervously, water moving in slow lazy ripples away from him.

“I'm sorry your shirt is all wet.” Seungcheol cringed a little at himself, saying the first thing that popped into his head. Stupid.

Jihoon stared at him for a moment before a small smile broke out across his face and he laughed, a sharp exhale of breath that fanned over Seungcheol's face like a spring breeze.

“Of course that's what you would be worried about… not the fact that you fainted and dropped like a dead weight out of nowhere.” He stopped, seeming to hesitate with his next words. “You scared the hell out of me, you know.”

Seungcheol couldn't help but smile. He just met this mysterious, sometimes hard-faced boy, but already he felt so close to him. So cared about.

“Sorry.”

“Yah. I'll believe you're sorry when you wipe that smirk of your face you brat.” Jihoon playfully pinched his arm, but still gentle in his motions.

Despite the fogginess in his head, Seungcheol couldn't help but laugh at that.  
\-----  
The living room was even more cramped than the night before, a few extra bodies crammed in amongst the chaos. There was a general buzz of nervous energy floating amongst the group of boys, but Seungcheol couldn't blame them. He was nervous too.

All the things he has seen. He might finally get some answers for it all.

As soon as he and Jihoon entered the room a hush fell over everyone. Seungcheol nervously fiddled with the hem of his dry shirt. Josh, he learned, had made a run to their apartments while he was still passed out, for clean clothes and supplies.

He was grateful for something familiar now as all eyes focused on him.

Mark made his way through the bodies, giving him a soft smile as he came to stand in front of him.

“Hello, Seungcheol. I'm Mark… it's good to see you awake.” He paused, take a quick glance over his body. It made Seungcheol shiver. “I'm sure you have lots of questions. All of you… but I'll try and explain as much as I can first.”

Marks warm gaze focused on his face again, prompting Seungcheol to nod in agreement. He waited so long for answers. He could be patient. He could listen. Mark smiled softly at that before sitting with a soft sigh.

“Where to start…”

“You said he wasn't human. What is he then?” Jeonghan spoke up suddenly, drawing Mark's gaze.

“Seungcheol is what we call a wraith. Not a rare creature for sure, but it is rare that he has lived so long. Most die early deaths…” At the shocked and confused look on most of their faces he smiles softly before continuing.

“Wraiths are one of the few beings that can see death. It used to be said that they were ghosts that have taken human form or the souls of witches after a spell has gone wrong, but,” he gestures to Seungcheol, “that was obviously fiction. Tell me, do you see things during these episodes?”

Seungcheol's chest felt tight and he nervously wiped his sweaty palms on his sweatpants. He nodded slowly.

“I've seen things. Creatures. The nice ones leave me alone mostly, but there are some that try to come after me... The faceless ones.”

Marks just nods like he had expected that answer.

“I suspect what you are seeing are souls. The nice ones are the kind souls wandering amongst us, but every so often there is one that is just so twisted that they become something dark.”

“Is that why most wraiths don't live long lives?” Joshua's voice shook as he spoke, obviously bothered. Mark nodded again, causing some of the others in the room to take a collective gasp.

“This latest episode,” Mark spoke over the slowly growing chaos in the room, “it was different than the others?”

Seungcheol took a deep breath. He didn't want to remember what he saw; the blood, the bodies, but if it would help he had no choice.

“I saw Yoongi. It was like he was trying to tell me something… or show me. There was a storm and so many dead.” Jihoon's grip on his elbow tightened then, a constant comforting pressure grounding Seungcheol as he spoke. It made it easier.

Mark looked at Jihoon then.

“I think we should call a gathering. It sounds like a premonition and if your brother is involved Namjoon will want to know.”

Seungcheol turns slightly to look back at Jihoon, watching a mixture of emotions flicker across his face before settling on blank.

“Okay. Call them.”

“Gyeomie.” Mark turned to look at his companion, standing at the back of the group, whispering with Minghao. At his name he perked up slightly.

“Wonho is at home. I'll call him and he can alert the Clan.” At that Yugyeom tugs his phone from his back pocket, quickly dialing and leaving the room as he greets the person on the other line with a soft affectionate ‘Bunny.’

Mingyu stands, pulling his phone out as well.

“I can get ahold of Bangtan.”

Mark nods before standing and stretching slightly.

“That leave me with my boys.”


End file.
